Pressed metal sedan body



Sept. 29, 1931. J. LEDWINKA PRESSED METAL SEDAN BODY Filed Jan. 12, 1925 4 Sheets-She et l.

A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 29, '1931. J, LE WWKA 1,825,322

PRESSED METAL SEDAN BODY Filed Jan. 12, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 1 /0 INVENTOR.

- J05EP/l LEDM/VAH A TTORNE Y.

Sept. 29, 1931. J. LEDWINKA PRESSED METAL SEDAN BODY Filed J 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet. 3

Sept. 29, 1931. J. LEDWINKA PRESSED METAL SEDAN BODY 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 12, 1926 I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 2 9, 193 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOSEPH LEDWINKA, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO EDWARD G.

BU'DD MANUFACTURING 00., OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA PRESSED METAL SEDAN BODY Application filedfl'anuary 12, 1926. Serial No. 80,798.

I disclose herein an embodiment of my invention inthe form of a sedan, The invention is of especial adaptability to sedan and touring car bodies constructed of pressed metal, but without doubt applicable to other types of automobiles such as, for example, roadsters and coups, and perhaps others.- Whatever the adaptation, it is the object of this disclosure to protect it.

There is today commonly employed in substantially all pressed metal vehicle bodies a skeleton framework, the parts of which are integrally united to each other, and which framework as a whole supports the outer shell or sheathing, which gives continuity of contour lines to the body and houses it in. My invention is especially directed to the improvement of this skeleton framework in such manner as to adapt it for a' coaction with simplified and improved doors. Through my improvement it is made possible to extend the bottom of the door past the lowermost margin of the side sill of the framework, to eliminate the formerly generally used door overlap, and to simplify yet strengthen the door structure at large. Thisdoor structure. is the subject of an application being filed of even date herewith.

Improvements in the skeleton frame also result in a simplification and a more economical manufacturing of the skeleton framework, yet with actual increase in the strength and serviceability of the frame itself.

The improvement in the skeleton frame resides in the main in an improvement of the body side sills and the parts associated with them, as for example, cross braces, brackets, posts, their anchorages to each other, and etc. But there are numerous other improvements which will be pointed out in the specification or claims or both, and shown in the drawings.

The main body side sills I make of channel cross section, and dispose them in the framework with the bottom walls of the channel outermost. Thereby one side wall of the channel section constitutes the bottom wall of the sill, the bottom wall-the outer wall of the sill, and the top wall of i the channel section the top wall of the sill. The door posts I anchor at their bottoms T from the inside of the post to the outermost wall of the sill, thereby projecting the bottom portion of the door frame or doorway outwardly from the outer wall of the sill. Thereby the doors may. have their inner faces extended past the outer wall of the sill and their bottoms extended past the bottom plane ofthe sill to constitute them part and parcel of the bottom lines of the body itself. VVithin the cowl and tonneau panels, however, portions of the body side sill at large, )1 we may say, forward and rearward extensions of the main body side Slll, are provided with outward offsets to maintain-the panels of the cowl and tonneau structures flush with the outer faces of the door posts whereby continuity of contour lines of the fixed portions of the body with the outer contour lines of the door when closed is assured.

The lower wall of the channel section sill is widened and the top wall deepened to embrace the ends'of channel and duplex channel section cross braces, to make the more effective joints therewith and with the tonneau side sill.

- And always of prime importance, a strong and rugged joint between this improved main body side sill and the post D or rearmost post bracket is achieved.

Figures 1, 2 and 30f the drawings disclose the body in longitudinal, vertical section.

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections of the cowl portion of the main body side sill structure shown in Fig. l and taken on correspondingly numbered and applied lines of that figure.

Figs. 7 and 8 are transversesections of the front or A posts of the body near the bottom and near the middle, respectively, as indicated by correspondingly numbered and directed section lines in Fig. 1.

Figs. 11 and 13 are transverse sections of the upper portions of the rearmost door or D post and the rearmost body or E post, respectively, indicated in Fig. 3 by lines of corresponding number.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged inside elevation of the joint between the rear door post and the top rail of the body indicated within the circle'designated 12 on Fig, 3.

Fig. 14 is an enlarged elevation of the main body side sill and connected rearmost door post or post D bracket within the region generally designated in Fig. 3 by the circle numbered 14.

Fig. 15 is a transverse section of the structure of the joint of Fig. 14 taken on line 1515 of that figure.

Fig. 16 is a section on lines 1616 of Fig. 12.

The skeleton frame of the body is comprised of the main body side sills 20, the associated fore sill extensions 21, the connected rear sill extensions 22, the body cross braces 23, 24, 25 (and other not shown), and the rear sill 26. the main or fixed body posts A, BC, D and E, lower and upper windshield headers 2'7, and 28, the longitudinal and transverse tonneau bracing 29, and the front and rear top rail sections 31 and 32. Additional elements in this skeleton frame there are, but they are'generally of a minor order. The outer shell or paneling which covers this skeleton frame is comprised in the main of the cowl paneling 33 and the tonneau paneling 34 each of which is often comprised of several sections.

The main body side sill 20 extends from within the cowl 33 rearwardly substantially to the D post. Its channelled cross section and its disposition with the bottom wall 35 outermost clearly appears in Figs. 2, 5, 6, 9 and 10. Near the front end 36 of this sill is erected the A post. Its bottom end extends downwardly for the depth of the bottom wall 35 of the sill and outside of this wall. It is secured to wall 35 as shown in Figs. 1 and 7 by a tab 37 projecting laterally from the inner body 38 of the post. Also it is secured by a pressed metal angle bracket 39 of channel cross section appearing in Figs. 1, 6 and 7 having the bottom of its section welded to the otter wall 40 of the post and its lower end inturned in such manner that its bottom wall overlaps and is secured to the upper wall 41 of the channel section sill.

The B and C post is similarly secured to the main body side sill 20 intermediate its fore end 36 and its rear end 42, (Fig. 14), the anchorage being shown in Fig. 2, where the pertinent parts are similarly numbered. In this case, however, there are two tabs 37, one from each side wall of the post securing 1t to the outer Wall 35 of the sill. Furthermore, the channel section bracket 39 is upwardly extended between the side walls -sion 21.

of the channel sectioned B and C post to a considerably greater distance (compare Figs. 1 and 2).

Connection at the D post as shown in Figure 14 is made not directly to the D post itself, but to the post portion 43 of the post D bracket 44. This post portion, like the D post, is of channel cross section presenting inwardly like the A and B-C posts. The lower end of the portion 43 is lapped over the rear end 42 of the sill 20 on the outside and secured in position by a tab 37 turned forwardly from the forward face 45 of the portion 43 and welded or riveted to the outer face 35 of the sill.

So the door frames one and all lie in planes outwardly offset from the outermost portion 35 of the main body side sills. Thereby the doors 46, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, also lie in such offset planes and may have the inner faces of their bottoms projected past the outer faces 35 of the sills 20 and to or past the plane of the bottom of the sill. Thereby the bottommost lines 47 of the door structure constitute the bottommost lines of the bodystructure in this region. It is through these structures and their coaction with each other that the advantages set forth are attained.

At the fore end 36 of the main body side sill 20, there is secured the fore sill exten- In this instance it comprises a substantially flat plate (only its outer edge 48 being upwardly flanged to a slight extent) lapped under and secured to the bottom wall 49 of the sill 20 substantially all the way from the end 36 to the base of the A post and extending forwardly substantially to the fore end of the cowl structure 33. This plate has its outer margin 48 outwardly offset from the outer face 35 of the sill 20 all the Way from the forward face 50 of the A post to its front end and contoured to the lines of the bottom of the cow] The cowl 33 is welded by an under turned flange at its bottom edge to the margin 48 of the fore sill 21. Its rear margin is lapped over the A post and welded by an inturned flange to the rear face 52 of the post. Thereby the cowl panel 33 is outwardly offset from the outer face of the main body side sill and the lines thereof merged into the plane of the outer face of the A post.

correspondingly in the tonneau section of the body, there is connected with the post D bracket 44 a crowned wheel housing 53, the crown of which is projected outwardly in the direction generally indicated at 54 in Fig. 15 to connect with the tonneau panel 34 which is contoured to the outer face of the D post. So both the tonneau paneling 34 and the cowl paneling 33 continues the lines of the door panels 55 (indicated in Fig. 9).

4 In the cowl unit 33 of the body the outwardly offset fore sill 21 is reinforced on its outer margin 48 byan angle bracket or gusset plate 56 secured by inturned flanges, re-

spectively, to the margin 48 (Fig. 5), and the forward face 50 of the A post (Figs. 1 and 7). Furthermore, at the forward end of the structure as shown in Fig. 1, there is erected a toe board support 57 anchored by a lower inturned flange (Fig. 4) tothe body of fore sill 21. Its upper margin is outwardly flanged, and seatcdupon and welded to this outturned flange is the toe board support proper designated 58 This support straddles the uppermost flange, supports the floor boards within the'body of the bracket 57 and has its outer margin laterally extended to'lie substantially against the cowl panel 33 and therebyto constitute of itself a marginal flooring covering the space between the bracket 57 and the outwardly offset cowl panel 33. The flanged upper margin of bracket 57 is nested in the angle between the floor board supporting flange 59 and the body 58, while the outer margin of the body 58 is provided with a downturned flange 60' to give additional strength. The body 58 is butt-welded to the top 60 of the sill 20 at the end 36 while the floor supporting flange 59 is extended downwardly past the end 36 and effects a lap joint 61 with the bottom wall 49 of the sill 20 (see Fig. 1).

The A post within the cowl structure 33 has its rear wall 52 provided with an inturned flange 53 for the purpose of anchorage of various parts, suchfor example, as upholstery. "Also the frontal cowl brace 61 is welded thereto at its rear end and secured to the shroud pan 62 at its front end. A channelled section guide trough 63 presenting upwardly is welded to the post face 52 by an outturned'flange 64 in a position to receive and seat the end of the door check which projects through face 52 by an opening opposite the end of-the channel (not shown).

In the upper portion of the A post are connected the windshield headers 27 and 28 which cross brace the upper portions of the skeleton frame. The lower one of these headers 27 is constructed of front and rear stampings 65 and 66, respectively, joined, in a manner not shown, to the front and. rear side walls 50 and 52 of the A post. The front one 65 is also joined by its lower margin to the depending flange-67 of the rear upper margin of the cowl 33, the lap joint lying in a transverse vertical plane. The two stampings 65 and 66 are joined together at 68 by welding together the inwardly and upwardly turned' flanges of the part 65 with the downwardly and outwardly turned flanges of the part 66, in such manner as to form at the lihe 68 a ledge to receive the bottom of an inwardly closing windshield.

The BC post is too of improved construction. It is characterized by a depth of channel section of its lower and upper portions at the belt line 69 substantially the same for both portions, but by a width of channel mouth in the same region differing for the two sections. The channel section of the lower portion is wider. than that of the upper portion. The increase in width is brought about by outwardly rabbeting the upper margins of the outer walls of the post throughout the lower portion of the post below the belt line 69. This rabbeted widening accommodates the rabbeted tionsfof the lower portions of the door shown). Within the rabbeted portions are provided housings 70 in the form of re-entrant depressions in the rabbets for the accommodation of the keepers of the lock mechanisms of the door, incut recesses 71 for the purpose of accommodating the dovetails of the doors and transverse rabbet face openings 72 for the reception of door bumpers. The depressions 70 are normal to the sides of the post and are die-formed without changing the continuity of the metal. The incut recesses 71, however, are formed by shearing the rabbets all theway in the main body of the channel. The bumper openlngs 72 enter the outside faces of the rabbets only, between the lateral margins and the side walls of the main body of the post.

In the tonneau section the skeleton frame structure is extended by the angle section tonneau side sill 22. This angle section sill is connected at its ends to the'rear tonneau sill 26., The rear tonneau sill26 is of 2 cross section having its main body vertically extending and its upper arm rearwardly extending. The wheel housing 53 is connectedv with the tonneau side sills 22 in the usual manner. Erected on the post D bracket. 44 is the D post. Erected on the wheel housing is the E post. The D post is of channel cross section presenting inwardly as appears in Fig. 11. In its'lower portion its rear side wall is provided with a rearwardly turned flange 7 3. The E post is of channel cross section presenting longitudinally and rearwardly. But the upper portion of the' E post is of angle cross section as appears in Fig. 13. Between the upper portions of the D and E posts is formed the rear quarter window 74. Interconnecting the lower portions of the posts is a regulator mechanism supporting plate 75 substantially flat in form and having its forward end outwardly offset and welded to the outside of the flange 73 and its rear end inwardly offset and welded to the inner wall 76 of the channel section of the 0st. i

Arched over the crown of wheel housing of mine.

53 is an angle reinforcina brace 77. It is through this brace 77 that the lower end of the E post is anchored to the wheel housing. Intermediate its ends the regulator plate is provided with a vertically extending brace 78 anchored at its lower end also to the brace 77. At point 79 at or near the hinge connection (not shown) the D post is provided with a brace 80 extending rearwardly and anchored also to brace 77. And this inside brace 77 serves too to receive the inwardly projecting securing means for the mud guards of the rear wheels when they are attached.

This framework of the side of the body is coordinated in the rear with the framework of the rear of the body. Anchored centrally of the rear 2 section sill 26 is an upwardly rising channel member 81 having its lower end secured to the upper arm of the 2 section sill 26 and extended diagonally across to the lower end of the main body of the sill and thence turned under and secured to the lower arm of the 2 section. This brace 81 carries the spare tire support (not shown). Its upper end is extended substantially to the belt line 82 and turned under the margin 83 of the rear window 84 formed in the rear tonneau paneling 85. Intervened between the under turned end of brace 81 and the margin 83 of the window 84 is the transverse angle brace 30, and the three are jointly secured together at this juncture. The transverse brace 30 has its ends downturned and welded to the bottom wall of the E post. Intermediate the E post and the window margin 83 the brace 30 is welded to the joint 86 between the quarter and rear panels of the tonneau (not shown).

All of the posts, A, B-C, D and E are connected by the top rail structure 31-32. The joints at the tops of the A, and BC posts are made in accordance with prior inventions The joints at the topsof the D and the E posts are part of the improve ments of the skeleton frame. Both the door portions and the rear quarter window portions 31 and 32, respectively, are of channel cross section presenting upwardly, as clearly appears from the enlargement of Fig. 12. Here it will be seen that the bottom of the portion 32 lies in a horizontal plane below the plane of the bottom of the door port1on 31. The upper end of the D post is provided on its front side wall with an inturned tab 86 underlying and secured to the bottom wall of the portion 31. The rear side wall of the post has its upper end cut away as at 87 to the level of the bottom of the portion 32 of the top rail. An angle bracket-88 secured to the inner face of the rear side wall is rearwardly turned to overlie and be secured to the inside of thebottom wall of portion 32. From above the tab 86 at the top of the D post the channel section of the door portion 31 of the top rail is turned downwardly to the level of bracket 88 and thence rearwardly over the bracket and then rearwardly again at the level of the bottom of the portion 32. The portions so lapped are secured together at intervals throughout their lengths. The resulting joint is practical, strong and neat, the more especially so since the bottom walls of both sections 31 and 32 overlap the adjacent side walls of the D post. See also Fig. 16.

At the top of the E post portion 32 makes a lap joint by its bottom wall with the rearwardly turned bottom wall 89 of the upper end of the E post. The outer paneling 90 of the rear quarter window is a one piece structure formed from a one piece stamping or of several stampings welded together to constitute them a unitary structure, and by reason of the integral cornices 91 further strengthens the joints of the skeleton frame. The paneling is welded to the frame structure.

In this skeleton frame of the rear quarter windowI provide a portion of the glass run channels which are to guide the rear quarter window when it is being raised and lowered. To this end, as shown in Fig. 11, I rearwardly offset the portion 92 of the rear wall of the D postto have its offset coact with the wall 93 of the outer paneling to form between them a portion of the glass run channel. Here the paneling has its main body 94 offset from the body of the post and at the one end is provided with a forwardly and inturned flange forming the wall 93 of the channel and welded to the post in the bottom of the channel, and at the other end is provided with an inwardly, forwardly and again inwardly turned flange constituting a rabbet for the door overlap in its outer portion and welded to the forward wall of the post by its. inner margin. The inner branch 96 of the E post is forwardly offset for the same purpose. The glass run channel is formed between the portion 96 and the lower walls 49 of the channel section main body side sills 20 are inwardly extended further than the upper side wall 60. Thus they provide wide bearing surfaces to receive the bottoms of the channel section cross braces 24 and the like. The upper side wall 60 has welded to its under size a 2 section floor board supporting strip 98, the inner arm of which is at a lower level than the upper wall of the-sill as shown in Fig 60 by the thickness of the floor boards whereby the upper wall 60 constitutes the threshhold. Channel sect-ion cross braces 24 have their ends held seated on the lower walls 49 and projected between them and the strips98 all the way to the outer walls J10. They are secured in place both by/their bottom walls to the wide bottom wall 49 of the sill and by outturned flanges on their side walls to the floor strips 98. Moreover certain cross braces 24 are of duplex form (Figs. 2 and 10), the lower portion'24 being of channel section presenting upwardly as just described, and the upper section 24" comprised of an overlaid inverted channel of the same width, secured longitudinally together by weldingtogether all their outturned flanges. The ends of these over-laid sections, as shown in Fig. 10, are likewise secured to the floor strip s 39 8 by the outturned flanges and through themtogthe outturned flanges of the under channels A firm, strong and unyielding joint of a nature through which perfect alignment may be secured on assembly is thereby attained. In. some cases I may use the under channel disposed as de scribed and in other cases, illustrated-in the brace 23, only the overlying channel of this duplex structure.

The front seat'of the body is supported from the tops of the braces 23, 24. A stool structure 99 of rectangular form and channel section presenting inwardly is supported in the common plane of the top 60 of the body side sills and the tops of the braces'23,

24 by securement thereto. The frame and thereby the seat may be adjusted forwardly or backwardly by transferring the securing means from one of apertures 100 formed in a the tops of the braces 23, 24 to anotheras desired. Seat pan 101 is welded to the top of the stool 99. The cushion retainer 100'- is welded to the underside of the forwardly projected margin of this seat pan. The seat back panel 102 is welded in place between the rearwardly projecting end of the seat pan 101, and the upper rear and side portions of the stool 99. In each case the seat pan has its margin upturned all the way around as'at 103'to nest within the angles of the bottoms of the cushion retainer 100 and the seat back 102, and thereby to effect a more perfect alignment during welding,

and a more rigid structure. The upper portion of the seat panel 102has formed therein a transversely extending reinforcing bead 104. Just beyond this bead is secured the upwardly an forwardly presenting angle 105 having a joint function of reinforcement and of a securement for the upholstery of the seat. p

The rear seat is constituted by a seat pan 106 supported at its rear end fromthe uppef arm of the Z sectionrear sill 26, but at as for example, as

'ments and the wheel housings.

its front end also from a channel section cross brace, the brace 25. This brace 25 is of obverted channel section having outturned flanges, and the rear flange hasan upward extension 107 constituting the heel board. It is to the upper end of this heel board that the seat pan 106 is directly connected, the pan being lapped under a rear wardly turned flange at the upper end of the heel board. Seat pan 106 has its ends upwardly flanged and secured to sills 22. Heel board 107 has its ends rearwardly flanged and secured to the bracket 44 and to the sill 22. The cross brace 25 has its tionally there is provided interiorly of the" channel section of brace 25 a reinforcing bracket 108 of channel cross section having its outer end 109 turned upwardlyand secured jointly to the sill 22 and bracket 44.

In this region of the post D bracket the main body side sill structure has perhaps its greatest need for strength since herethe relatively heavy tonneau structure which' carries relatively the heaviest of the loads is joined to the fore body and the joint is, as in this case, veryfrequently made in the region where the kick-up of the body is formed to accommodate the rear axle move- And the improvement of my invention extends like-- wise to this region. Referring to Figs. 14

and 15 representing enlargements in section of this region shown in Fig. 3,,it will be seen thatI extend the channel section main body side sill which I have disposed on itsside bodily across the post portion 43 of the post D bracket. The post D bracket I form as a sheet metal stamping as I have heretofore done. This constitutes the post portion 43 of channel section presenting inwardly and continuing the lines ofthe post to the base of the body. 'Projectlng across the open mouth of this .channel the upper wall 60 of the sill deflect upwardly to form an extended tab 109 which I secure in overlapping relation to the crown 110 of the wheel housing portion of the bracket. The outer wall 35 :of the sill.I provide with. an inturned tab 111 likewise secured to the crown of the wheel housing portion of the bracket. The wheel housing portion of the bracketI is my usual practice. I nest the ront end of sill 22 in the angle between this flange 112 and the flank of the bracket so that its 1 end 113 extends almost to the post portion 43 of the bracket (see Fig. 14). Thereby the cross brace 25' may be secured through both provide with a wide inturned flan e 112 as terminate substantially as it meets the crown 110 of the bracket. But I overlay and secure upon it the wide flange reinforced joint plate 113' which I extend rearwardly to overlie and be secured jointly to the end 113 of sill 22 and the flange 112 of bracket 44. So here We have in this all important joint the channel section sill, the bottom wall of which is outermost, making a joint with the tonneau section of the body in which each wall of the sill is secured directly or indirectly to the crown of the bracket, and in which the bottom wall is also secured through tab 37 to the post portion 43 and in which the bottom wall is connected through member 113' both with the tonneau side sill 22 and through the flange 112 with the flank of the wheel housing portion of the bracket.

In improt'ing the form of the skeleton frame and the joints of it I have borne in mind the requirements of unit construction according to which bodies may be construced in unit sub-assemblies for reasons now well known. I have so effected my improvements that the sub-assembly constructions are also improved. In fact, it has been an object of my invention so to improve them. Accordingly, I have effected the following sub-assemblies in the structure which I employ. A cowl unit sub-assembly comprising all units shown in the sections of Fig. 1 exceptingthe body side sills 20 and the top rails 31; a pair of side frame units comprising the complete sections of main body side sills 20 and the complete sections of the top rails 31; the front seat unit comprising the stool 99 and the parts mounted upon it, a tonneau unit comprising all of the parts shown in the section of Fig. 3 with the exception of those portions of the sills 20 and the top rails 31. The sub-assembly unit joints therefor, as between the cowl unit and the side units, are, respectively, the joints between the body side sills 20, the body fore sill 21'and the base of the A post, and the joint between the top rail 31 on the one hand and the top windshield header 28 and the'A post on the other hand. Similarly the unit assembly joints between the side frame units and the tonneau unit become the joint disclosed in Fig. 12 between the top rail 31 on the one hand and the top rail 32 on the D post on the other, and the joint delineated in Figs. 14; and 15 between the main body side sills 20 on the one hand and the post D bracket 44. and tonneau rear sill 22 on the other. Subordinate sub-assembly unit joints are made between braces 23," 24 and the body side sills 20. This division of sub-assembly particularly facilitates the building up of the tonneau unit, when welding is resorted to throughout, including the long vertical seam between the, tonneau quarter and rear panels 34 and 85. This seam is shown at The structure also lends itself to a different sub-assembly division as follows: cowl and side unit sub-assemblies as in the division already set forth, excepting that the toe board support 57 may become a part of the side units. But the former tonneau unit is divided into four units as follows: quarter panel units comprising posts D and E and connecting framework, post D bracket 44, quarter paneling 34, top rail 32; rear panel unit comprising the rear paneling 85, the brace 81 and the associated portion of brace 30, the remainder of brace 30 being connected with quarter panel units; and finally the tonneau seat unit comprising side sills 22, rear sill 26, cross brace 25 and heel board 107 and the seat pan 106. In such a division as in the former case, the long joints 86 can be the more readily reached for welding on standard machines with or without fixtures, and throughout the stmicture a minimum amount'of hand welding is required. At the same time the final assembly may be made with great celerity and wherever hand welding is resorted to the joints are such that it can be effected with great certainty.

What I claim as new and useful is:

1. In a pressed metal vehicle body, a main body side sill comprising a channel section stamping arranged with the bottom wall outermost, a fore sill extension comprising a substantially flat plate secured to the under side wall of the fore end of the sill and having an outer edge lying in a plane outwardly of said outermost wall of the main body sill, together with a cowl panel having its lower edge connected to and aligned by said fore sill extension. 2. In a pressed metal. vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill, a body post having its bottom portion projected outwardly of the threshold margin of the sill to admit the extension of the body door past the bottom of the. sill structure, a fore sill connected with the main body sill and having a margin lying outwardly of the threshold margin of the main body sill by substantially the projected depth of the body post, together with a cowl panel having its bottom secured to the sill and its rear edge secured to the post.

3. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill, a body post having its bottom portion projected outwardly of the threshold margin of the sill to admit the extension of the body door past the bottom of the sill structure, a fore sill connected with the main body sill and having a margin lying outwardly of the threshold margin of the main body sill by substantially the projected depth of the body post, together with a cowl panel having its and integrally secured thereto,

bottom secured to the sill and its rear edge secured to the post, together with a brace from the body of the post to the outer margin of the fore sill. I

4:. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill having its fore end butt ended within the cowl structure of the body, a fore sill extension thereof substantially in the bottom plane of the sill and projected outwardly beyond said sill, and a toe board support seated on the fore sill extension and having its rear end abutting the butt ended main body sill.

5. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill having its fore 'end butt ended within the cowl structure of the body, a fore sill extension thereof substantially in the bottom plane of the sill, and a toe board support seated on the fore sill extension and having its rear end abutting the butt ended main body sill the toe board support having a floor supporting flange connected directly to and extending upwardly and forwardly from the bottom of the main sill.

combination, a body side sill, a cowl structure having its bottom spaced outwardly therefrom, and a toe board support substantially in longitudinal alignmentwith the body side sill and having an upper floor supporting arm extended laterally of the body of the support substantially to meet the outwardly spaced body of the cowl panel.

7 In a pressed met-a1 vehicle body, .in'

combination, a body side sill, a cowl structure having its bottom spaced outwardly therefrom, and a toe board support com-' prising a main body lying in substantial alignment with the main body of the sill, and a floor supporting stamping straddling the main body to wardly thereof but extended laterally outward substantially to meet the outwardly spaced body of the cowl panel.

8. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill and a tonneau side silljoined together through a post D bracket, the an inwardly convex wheel housing portion and a marginally connected post portion on the convex side, the main body side sill being of channel cross section disposed with the bottom wall outermost and having all three of its walls extended across the post portion of the bracket and connected to the wheel housing portion thereof.

9. In a pressed metal vehicle body a post bracket having a wheel housing portion anda post portion together with a main body side sill of channel cross section having its bottom wall outermost and connected with the bracket by extending across the inner margin of the post portion and inwardly 6. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in

support the floor parts in- P D bracket having into lapped engagement with the crown of the wheel housing portion of the bracket.

10. In a pressed metal vehicle body a post bracket having a wheel housing portion and a post portion together with amain body side sill of channel cross,section having its bottom wall outermost, andhaving its top side wall extended across the inner margin of the post portion ofthe bracket and upwardly into overlapping securement with the crown of the wheel housing portion of the bracket.

11. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, "a post bracket embodying an inwardly convex wheel housing portion and an outer marginal post portion together with a main body side sill of inwardly presenting channel cross section, which side sill'is connected with the bracket by extending its three walls, margin of the post portion of the bracket and effecting a lapped securement of the top and side walls of the channel with the crown of the wheel housing portion and an inwardly projecting flange from the bottom of the bracket-through which a lap joint connection with the bottom wall of the channel is made.

12. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill of channel cross section having its bottom wall disposed outermost, and a door post bracket having a wheel housing section inwardly convex in top, bottom and side, across the,

ill)

form, and a marginal post section, said wheel to the three walls of the channel, top, bot- ,tom and side walls, and said post portion being secured to said outermost wall of the sill.

, 13. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a post bracket having a wheel housing portion and a post portion and provided with an inwardly extended base flange, an angle section tonneau side sill nested in the angleof the flange and theflank of the wheel housing portion, and a body cross brace comprising an obverted channel section transversely overlying the nested sill and secured jointly to the sill and the bracket flange by its bottom wall, which channel section cross brace is provided with flanges on at least one'side wall constituting it a floor board support.

14. ,A combined cross brace and heel board for pressed metal vehicle bodies comprising a transversely extending obverted channel section in the form of a cross brace and having one side wallfianged to constitute it a horizontally extending ,fioor board support, and a vertical extension from the flange constituting the heel board.

1.5. In a pressed metal vehicle body, a post bracket having a wheel housing'portion and a post portion at the margin thereof, an

angle section tonneau side sill having one branch connected to the flank of the wheel housing portion. and the other branch inwardly extending, a body cross brace of obverted channel cross section having an end overlying the horizontally extending branch of the tonneau side sill and secured thereto by its bottom, which cross brace is provided-with a flange on one side wall constituting a floor board support and an upward extension from the flange constituting a heel board and which upward extension has a flanged end'secured to a flank of the post bracket.

16. In a pressed metal vehicle body a door jamb post of channel cross section having upper and lower portions of substantially the same channel depth at the belt line of the post, having a side wall below the belt line rabbeted outwardly whereby the mouth of the channel is widened beyond the mouth of the channel above the belt line to provide for coaction with the correspondingly rabbeted bottom portion of a door rail.

17 In a pressed metal vehicle body a door jamb post of channel cross section having upper and lower portions ofsubstantially the same channel depth at the belt line of the post, having both side walls below the belt line rabbeted outwardly whereby the mouth of the channelis widened beyond the mouth of the channel above the belt line lo provide for coaction with the corrcs; ngly rabbeted bottom portion of a door r..-.l.

18. In a pressed metal vehicle body comprising a wheel housing, an arched reinforcing rib extending longitudinally of the crown of the wheel housing within the body and a rear quarter window structure above the wheel housing having a regulator panel connected therewith, together with a rear quarter window post connected with the.

crown of the wheel housing through said reinforcing structure.

19. In combination, a main body post of channel cross section presenting inwardly of the body, an angle section top rail overlying the top of the post, the front side wall of the post abutting the under side of the top rail, arear quarter top rail also of angle section at a different level fromthe main top rail, an angle bracket connecting the rear wall of the post with the bottom of the rear quarter top rail, and a vertically ofl'set extension from the main top rail overlying and secured to the angle bracket and the rear quarter rail.

20. In a pressed metal vehicle body comprising a rear quarter window frame formed forwardly by a post of channel cross section facing inwardly and having a flanged side wall, and rearwardly by a post of longitudinally facing channel cross section below the window opening, together with a regulator panel for the window welded to a wheel housing the flange of the forwardly disposed post and to an inner side wall of the rearwardly disposed post.

21. In a pressed metal vehicle body, a body side sill comprising a channel section stamping arranged with the bottom wall thereof outermost, a member secured to the sill having its outer edge lying in a plane outwardly of said outermost wall of the main body sill, together with a cowl panel having its lower edge connected to said member.

22. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a body side sill, a body post having its bottom portion projected outwardly of the threshold margin of the sill to permit the extension of the body door past the bottom of the sill structure, the forward portion of the sill having its marginal edge lying in a plane outwardly of the plane of the threshold margin of the sill by substantially the projected depth of the body post, a cowl panel having its bottom secured to the sill and its rear edge secured to the post, and a brace extending from the body of the post to the body sill adjacent the said outwardly lying marginal portion thereof.

23. In a pressed metal vehicle body, in combination, a main body side sill and a tonneau side sill joined together through a post D bracket, the post D bracket having portion inwardly convex in cross section and a post portion marginally connected to the convexed wheel housing portion, the main body side sill being of channel cross section and having all three of its walls extended across the post portion of the bracket and connected to the crown of the wheel housing portion.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOSEPH LEDWINKA. 

